The entire evening unfolded in an electric atmosphere. In the 10th minute, the referee stopped play so the Argentine icon could soak up the ovation from the fired-up fans. Although it may have seemed that way, the supposedly weaker African opponents had certainly not come just to make up the numbers; Messi and co. had to show their quality to ensure the celebratory occasion did not turn into one big embarrassment.
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It was clear, however, that Argentina had tailored their entire game to one objective: giving their hero a grand farewell. At times, it looked forced, though, and Benin’s decision to double-team Messi was noticeable.
We are talking about one of the greatest players in history, after all. His numbers in the match were hugely dominant. Over 90 minutes, he produced nine shots and had 12 touches in the opposition penalty area.
His cumulative expected goals (xG) value climbed to 1.97. With five of his shots on target, his expected goals on target (xGOT) figure rose even higher, to an elite 2.35.
That makes it all the more surprising that Messi failed to find the net from open play. His extraordinary determination drove him to shoot from positions where he would normally have opted to pass. The data model recorded no fewer than four big chances missed.
One moment in particular, late in the game, showed that even the best can buckle under the weight of emotion: from inside the six-yard box, he inexplicably fired over with the goal completely unguarded. He was similarly uncomfortable in his duels and when dribbling, completing just one of four attempts and losing the ball eight times.
What he lacked in finishing efficiency, he more than made up for, as usual, through his elite distribution and creativity.
The creative side of his game still met the most demanding standards. Messi generated expected assists (xA) worth 0.73 and played four key passes that led directly to shots.
Shortly after half-time, his show got under way when he picked out Nicolas Otamendi with a corner. Soon afterwards, he completed a magical 70th assist for the national team by creating a shooting opportunity for Nico Paz, who needed roughly a minute on the pitch to score his first goal for the national side.
Messi’s command of the attack despite his missed chances was also reflected in the amount of work he did on the ball. He finished the match with 91 touches, finding a teammate in the attacking third on 29 of 41 occasions (71% success rate). He also added six progressive carries and 10 successful key passes, constantly disrupting Benin’s defensive block.
The long-awaited goal finally arrived in the 74th minute. After a foul on Agustin Giay in the penalty area, he took the ball and emphatically smashed the spot kick under the crossbar.
Argentina extended their unbeaten home run to 11 matches in a row, partly thanks to his numbers. Once the final whistle sounded, however, the advanced metrics took a back seat. Messi stood in front of the stands and, in an emotional speech lasting almost 10 minutes, said a definitive farewell to his beloved team.
"I will miss you. I thank God that I am Argentine, I am proud to be Argentine, and that I was able to fulfil my dream with you," the moved captain said on the pitch, while tens of thousands in the stands had long since been reduced to tears.
But the Rosario native’s closing speech reached an emotional peak. "It will hurt me a lot not to come here as a player anymore. I can promise you that if it were up to me, I would want to play here for the rest of my life, because representing Argentina is the most beautiful thing that could have happened to me," the living legend added.
